


comfort in the dark

by ladyofdecember



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional, Falling In Love, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-27
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-07-23 04:29:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20002345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofdecember/pseuds/ladyofdecember
Summary: Alexei and Murray have been dancing around each other so to speak with their undisclosed feelings.





	comfort in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> All dialogue is in Russian except for Murray's internal thoughts of course.
> 
> "Lyosha" is Russian for Alexei or so I've been told.

The evening had started off innocently enough; lots of TV watching, a burnt TV dinner or two shared together and yes, of course, some vodka!

Murray and Alexei had been growing closer and closer in their friendship and bond ever since the carnival and well, all the stressful events that had brought the two together. 

Feeling happy and more than a little tipsy, Murray sank a bit back into the couch cushions, pleased that that meant Alexei too had sank down just a bit.

Though the man had been enamored with the cartoons playing on the TV, his attention now turned to the bearded man practically leaning up against him. With a small smile (and was that a blush? Murray wondered) Alexei began to lean into the closeness of the other man.

It was then that Murray had gotten an idea, a horrible, horrible idea and one that would surely never work. He'd had the idea to lean all the way in and capture the man's lips before he could say a word.

It was a dangerous thought but dammit, what exactly was this man doing leaning up against him like this? It was maddening, trying to dodge this look or that innuendo. If Murray didn't know better, he'd say Alexei was trying to flirt with him!

Blinking rapidly, he slowly eased back a bit and away from the man to grasp the TV remote on the table. He flipped through a few channels before deciding nothing was on worth watching and turning it off entirely. After all, Alexei was no longer interested in cartoons, he was staring point blank at him.

Murray tried to sit up a bit straighter but thanks to a sofa that had seen the Nixon administration, this only served to bring the two closer and closer together. With every bounce of the cushions, the two bodies seem to collide more and more, making Alexei a giggly mess.

Perhaps, they'd overdone it with the alcohol.

It was then that a sobering thought occurred in Murray's mind. Alexei didn't have any interest in him, he was simply happy to be given a place to stay in the new foreign land he was in! Why on earth would the scientist be interested in him of all people? He was simply his translator, his roommate.

Murray tried to reason that they were friends but more dark thoughts crept in from the crevices of his mind, all thanks to the vodka. 

With a sudden burst of energy, Murray found he was able to shoot up from his seat. With a panicked look splayed across his face he turned to face the confused man still seated. "Well... goodnight!" Murray muttered quickly as he hurriedly made his way towards the staircase and up towards his bedroom.

Alexei stared after him with a slight look of sadness, catching one final glance from the man as he firmly shut his bedroom door.

On the other side, Murray tried taking some deep breaths as his heart thudded loudly in his chest. It was almost comical, the way he was lusting after this man who had abruptly come into his life. It was like he was some kid or something. He couldn't do this. He shouldn't do this! Taking advantage of someone like this was unethical, unjust.

Shaking his head of all the dirty, dirty thoughts inside, he decided to try to get some sleep. Nothing would ever come of the two of them and he just needed to keep reminding himself of the fact until it sunk in!

Downstairs, the Russian remained seated for only a few, brief moments longer before getting up and venturing over to the window. He'd hoped to stay up a bit longer with Murray or at least be able to turn in with the man to his room for some sort of comfort. He wasn't in the mood for sleeping, felt too on edge and much too paranoid to let his guard down. Sitting on the couch together, they were having a nice time and it was almost enough to take his mind off of things, off of worries.

With gentle fingers, Alexei gingerly lifted one of the blinds and stared out at the blackness of the night. He couldn't see anything from here, there were no lights outside the warehouse and so he could be staring directly at one of his pursuers faces for all he knew. The thought made him shudder.

At the sound of Murray's bedroom door opening once again, Alexei let the blind slip from his finger to close once more. He turned to watch the older man descend back down the stairs, now dressed in pajamas and his robe.

"Uh... sorry. I'm just uh... getting some water." He said quieter now, less panicked looking as he passed by him going towards the kitchen.

Alexei watched him idly, let his eyes follow his movements as he got a glass down from the cabinet and filled it with water. Murray turned back to look at the curly haired man who abruptly dropped his gaze and went back to sit down on the sofa.

"Is... everything alright? Why were you looking through the window?" Murray asked, taking a few steps towards him.

His eyes looking a bit dim, Alexei shrugged and averted his gaze entirely, feeling very self conscious of the other man's stare. "I was checking to make sure it is still safe. I wanted to know if someone was out there."

Setting his glass down on the table in front of them, Murray came to sit down next to him, putting a light hand on the man's shoulder. "Is that something you're concerned about? You think they're still out there and coming for you?"

"I just wonder if this is really a safe house."

"It is. I mean, I've made sure of it." Murray kept trying to seek out his gaze and failing as he ducked it every time. "Alexei, they are gone. The ones that were here have gone back to Russia or were imprisoned or killed. They're not... no one is coming for you. You are safe here."

Moving to grasp his hands which lay in his lap, Murray frowned at the sudden change in mood from his friend. Only moments before, the two had been jovially chatting together with not a care in the world or at least, it had seemed. Had Alexei been keeping things from him?

A sharp, stabbing feeling enveloped in his chest at the thought that Alexei didn't trust him enough to be open and honest with him. 'Yet another reason to keep your feelings bottled up where the belong, Murray', he reminded himself.

Alexei finally turned to face the bearded man, his eyes searching him inquisitively. His posture was still slumped and he made no attempt to grasp Murray's hands back in return. "Murray... do you not want me to stay here with you?"

"What? Yes, of course I do. Why are you asking that?"

"You don't seem like you are happy I am here." Sitting up a bit straighter, Alexei pulled away from the man as if to stand up from where they sat. "Maybe I should find a place to stay, somewhere safe." He nodded as though to appear confident when he was anything but.

"No!" The man beside him suddenly shouted, surprising both of them in the now nearly silent room. "I... I... " Murray struggled with his words as he tried to collect his thoughts and what was happening between them. God, why was this so difficult?

Alexei watched him curiously, as Murray scooted closer to him and took his hands in his own once again. 

"Lyosha, I'm sorry if you thought that I didn't want you here. That... that couldn't be further from the truth! If I'm cold or distant or pulling away, it's not... it's not because I don't care!" He shook his head, unable to believe that they were even having this conversation right now.

He paused to glance up into the other man's eyes which were already locked on his own. Murray smiled a trembling smile, unsure and so rueful. He forced himself to continue, even though he knew it was a mistake. "It's because... I care too much, Lyosha."

He hadn't started this evening expecting anything like this to be happening. He hadn't expected to confess his feelings for the man tonight or well, ever, but here he was doing so. 

Murray sat holding the man's hands gently in his own, holding his breath in anticipation for what the man may say in response. 

Alexei however, did not say anything. Instead, he flung himself face first into Murray's arms, giving him a tight hug, the likes of which threatened to crush his very rib cage.

Murray, shocked but delighted none the less, quickly moved his hands up to caress the man's dark curls. He chuckled quietly and held the man tightly.

"It's okay... " He found himself saying, whispering to the dimly lit room and the man practically sitting in his lap.

Alexei breathed a sigh of relief, happy to be snuggled up against the outwardly brutish man whom he now knew was just for appearances. He no longer had to wonder if the feelings he'd been picking up on were genuine or not. They both held feelings for one another and he felt content just to share this bit of closeness with the man.


End file.
